


If you need me, I'll be right here

by MelindaCoulson4



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Loss, Man Out of Time, Some Humor, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25671238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelindaCoulson4/pseuds/MelindaCoulson4
Summary: Post 7x10, Daisy is grieving. Daniel isn't going anywhere
Relationships: Phil Coulson & Melinda May & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 8
Kudos: 126





	If you need me, I'll be right here

Guilt was a trait that she knew well and it was coming in full swing from Daniel. But it was a misguided attempt at taking responsibility for all the things that had gone so wrong today. 

"If I hadn't-"

"Daniel. Stop. _Just stop_!" She demanded, surprising even herself with the outburst. 

His voice abruptly cut off. His eyes widened.

Taking in a few deep breaths, she thought about what else could be said. She was tired and grieving, feeling completely empty. An explanation was the only thing left that she could give. She could tell him everything and he would realize that she was too volatile. And he would leave. Cycle complete. "My mom's dead," she began, feeling the pain hit her all over again. "Years ago, my dad had a memory wipe for his own protection and he doesn't even know that I exist anymore. The other, closest guy, that I had to a father also died and now an LMD replica of him is on our team. His soulmate - another person that I love - can't stop burying herself in work so she doesn't have to think about the fact that he's never coming back. Mack's parents were killed and replaced by the chronicoms. The whole Fitzsimmons family is missing so..." She trailed off, chest heaving. Tears came, but she blinked them away quickly. 

Daniel stayed quiet, absorbing all of it. Her messed up life condensed. He deserved better than her right now, so she needed him to leave. "Look it's really...thoughtful of you to be here, but I'd rather just be alone. Okay?"

His eyes dipped down. "Okay. Okay. I get it," he said amicably, seeming to accept it and she hoped that would still ring true later on. 

Staring down at the metal slab where her mother's body rested, she waited for him to go. 

After a minute, his presence still lingered at the door. She could feel the vibrations of him.

"Could I just say one last thing?" He finally said. 

If this was the end of - _whatever_ had been brewing between them, she might as well let him say his peace. She nodded. 

"You wanna know what I have in my duffel?" He asked. 

It was so completely out of left field that she thought she'd heard misheard. "What?" She asked.

"The duffel bag that I brought from the zephyr to here. Wanna know what I have in it?" 

How could he be thinking about his duffel right now? She scoffed. " _Sure, why not?_ " She asked sarcastically, throwing her hands into the air. Add it to her growing list of unnecessary pieces of knowledge that she now possessed. Like what 1983 brand cologne smells like and how it feels to type on a keyboard from 1973. Next, what Daniel Sousa packed in his duffel bag. 

"Two shirts, two pairs of pants, two pairs of boxers, and two pairs of socks. One set of clothing to sleep in and another to rotate with the ones I have on now. None of which I chose for myself." Now that she was thinking about it she did remember hearing parts of a passing conversation between Daniel and Deke about shirts, but it barely registered with her at the time. 

"The clothes that I had on the day I met you guys. That I bought in my time and had once hung in my closet in 1955...those were ruined," he said. 

_Ruined_. It was his tactful way of saying bloody. When the two of them were taken by Nathaniel, Daniel's clothes had become lined with sweat, blood, and dirt. Another thing that she could take responsibility for. If she hadn't ever used her powers, Nathaniel would've never paid them any mind, and none of this would've come to pass. 

"The bulkiness of my duffel is made up of a blanket that I pulled out of the zephyr's storage a week ago. That's my prized possession," He said quietly. 

She hadn't actually thought about any of that. She was sorry that it was the first time she was hearing of it. However, she didn't think the object of this conversation was to fish for sympathy, so she stayed silent. 

He took a few steps back into the room. "But none of that matters. What I'm trying to say is that....you're all I have here."

Her eyes met his. His genuine honesty had her heart stuttering in her chest. 

He didn't waver. "And I'd _really_ like to be someone for you too." He paused. "If you'll let me." 

"Someone to pick you back up when you run into brick walls," she whispered remembering his words. 

Taking a deep breath, he nodded. "Exactly." 

The latest events had created a pretty big wall. The erasure of her entire existence. And yet he didn't run from her, instead he ran to her. 

There was nothing left to say. He'd said everything she needed to hear. She took several steps around the table that separated them. All the while he stood his ground, albeit a bit apprehensively, unsure of what she was going to do. 

Slowly, she proceeded further until they were almost toe to toe. She stopped, staring up at him. Eyes shining with unshed tears, she reached out and touched his shirt - the one out of three that he owned. His eyes spoke volumes as they always seemed to do. Somehow the readiness that he had to face anything showed itself right in his gaze. The small upturn of his lips that she always found so endearing was also present. She hugged him fiercely then, for all he'd given her. His arms wrapped around her. Warm and steady. The two of them seemed to melt together naturally. He held her against his chest. 

It was exactly what she needed. 


End file.
